Rangers modifying jerseys for '14 season
ARLINGTON -- The Rangers are modifying the team's four game jerseys with slight changes to the color shading on the front and back insignias in 2014. The changes will affect their primary home white jersey, their primary road gray jersey, the alternate blue jersey for both home and road and their red tops that they wear on special occasions at the Ballpark in Arlington.
The changes mostly involve the colors of the Texas logo on the front and matching them to the number and name of the player on the back. Prince Fielder white home jerseys are now on sale at MLB.com and the Ballpark in Arlington. T-shirts with the new insignias are also available for Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, Yu Darvish and Fielder.
The Rangers are also offering a special promotion on Friday at their three gift shops in Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas. Fans who purchase a replica jersey from 2013 will also receive a free Rangers used baseball. The promotion will be in effect while supplies last.
Leftovers going into the Thanksgiving weekend:
• Outfielder David Murphy, after signing with the Indians, on his time in Texas: "I'm extremely thankful and blessed every day I wore a Texas uniform. From the first day I showed up, it was absolutely the perfect opportunity for me. I got traded at a time when I was trying to get my foot in the door and earn a full-time job. There was a lot of opportunities for a lot of young guys to earn an opportunity and fortunately I was able to.
"It was a perfect situation that got better and better with an opportunity to play in two World Series. The only thing that would have made my time in Texas completely perfect would be winning those World Series or one of those World Series. But if you look at the big picture, most players don't have the opportunity to play in one World Series, much less two, so I'm thankful for playing on that stage two different times."
• Fielder on being a clubhouse leader: "I just want to be a part of the team. I will speak up once in a while, but I lead by example. I play hard -- all the rest takes care of itself."
• The last player in the Major Leagues to wear No. 84 was J.T. Snow with the Red Sox in 2006. His father Jack was a wide receiver in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams.
• Andrus on Ian Kinsler being traded to the Tigers: "It was shock. Ian is one of the guys that gave me a great welcome -- him and Michael [Young] and the rest of the guys that were here. He won't be there next to me playing second. It's shocking and sad and crazy. But it's a business. I told him I wish him the best, except playing us in the playoffs."
• Neftali Feliz has pitched two scoreless innings for Toros del Este in the Dominican Winter League. He has not allowed a baserunner and has struck out three.
• With the Pirates and the Rays among the teams interested in finding a first baseman, the Rangers continue to get calls from clubs on Mitch Moreland. The Brewers are also looking for a first baseman and have had at least one conversation with the Rangers this winter.
• Catching appears to be going fast in the free-agent market and the next hot property may be Dioner Navarro, a switch-hitter who seemed to revive his career by hitting .300 with 13 home runs and 34 RBIs in 89 games for the Cubs this past season. Prior to that, he hit .215 with a .270 on-base percentage and a .323 slugging percentage over a four-year period with three different organizations.
• General manager Jon Daniels on the free-agent market: "The market appears to be moving quicker this winter. As we've shown, if it's the right move, we'll move forward. If it's not, we'll be patient."
• The Rangers trading Kinsler to the Tigers came during the same week that John Hart left the organization to join the Braves' front office as an advisor. Hart was the Rangers general manager in 2002-05, and Kinsler was a 17th-round pick in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft. The only Rangers player on the 40-man roster still left who was acquired during the Hart regime is pitcher Michael Kirkman. He was a fifth-round pick in 2005.